Australian international Mitchell Starc etched his name into the record books after he became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League. Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out a whopping INR 24.75 crore to secure the Australian's signature at the auction.

KKR ropes in Mitchell Starc for INR 24.75 croreThere was an intense bidding war amongst multiple franchises after Mitchell Starc's base price was at INR 2 crore. Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals were involved in a bidding war before the Delhi-based franchise pulled out when the amount reached INR 9.4 crore.

However, as it turned out, Gujarat Titans joined the race and started to give some headaches to Mumbai Indians. The five-time IPL champions pulled out of the race when the mark reached INR 9.6 crore. Just as when everyone thought Gujarat Titans would secure the paceman's signature, Kolkata Knight Riders entered the race.

The bidding war grew stronger and intense so much so that it went on to break Pat Cummins' record of INR 20.5 crore in today's auction. The colossal figure even surpassed Cummins' tally and thus Starc became the most expensive player in IPL auction history.

Starc is known for his express pace, ability to swing the ball, and his effectiveness with the new ball. On top of that, he has a proven track record of taking wickets in various conditions and has the ability to deliver lethal yorkers and bouncers.

Kolkata Knight Riders won two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014 respectively. They made it to the finals in the IPL 2021 season but lost to Chennai Super Kings. KKR will be looking forward to giving everything in the upcoming season to make a bid for the third title.